BBC: Russia lures Cubans to army with offers of high pay, Russian passport

Leaked documents reveal that Russia has been coercing Cuban citizens into the Russian Armed Forces with salaries of approximately $2,000 per month, in addition to offers of a Russian passports within months of signing up, a BBC investigation revealed on May 4.

According to the BBC, hundreds of Cubans have allegedly joined Russia’s Armed Forces since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, online leaks reveal.

At least 200 names of Cubans were leaked in September and October 2023 by pro-Ukrainian hackers, with the BBC confirming at least 31 accounts whose names matched leaked records appearing to be in Russia or linked to the Russian army.

The BBC investigation further revealed social media posts suggesting some Cubans are receiving Russian passports within months of signing up for the Armed Forces, a theory that was corroborated by local media reports suggesting that citizenship to newly-recruited Cuban fighters would be granted “in the future.”

Other Cubans who have move to Russia on the prospects of finding work in the construction industry were reportedly instead sent to Ukraine’s eastern front. In September 2023, Cuba had uncovered a human trafficking ring aimed at recruiting people to fight for Russia, a violation that Cuba’s Foreign Affairs Ministry “firmly rejects.”

Russia continues to increase its campaign to recruit foreigners in neighboring countries and exploited migrant workers for its war against Ukraine to avoid domestic mobilization. Foreign recruits from Nepal, Cuba, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Somalia, as well as additional central Asian and African countries, have served as primary targets for recruitment.

In January, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree allowing foreign nationals who join the Russian Armed Forces to be able to apply for Russian citizenship.

Cuba and Russia, two allies since the start of the Cold War, have reciprocal visa-free travel between the countries, as well as direct flights between Havana and Moscow.